Chapter 40

Morning sunlight streamed through the curtains as Lucy White stretched and changed into her workout clothes for a jog.

"Morning," Ethan Smith greeted her, already warming up in the yard.

They jogged side by side along the country path, breathing in the crisp air. Dew dampened their sneakers, but the freshness lifted their spirits.

Back at the house, Lucy tied on an apron and began cooking porridge. The aroma of simmering rice soon filled the kitchen.

"Smells amazing!" The trainees, roused by the scent, gathered around eagerly.

Today’s theme was Rural Getaway, and for once, the production crew had provided steamed buns. Yet everyone still lined up for Lucy’s porridge, helping themselves to bowl after bowl.

"Miss Lucy, this is incredible!" Ryan Clark beamed, cradling his bowl.

After breakfast, the group boarded a bus to the Wu Family Farm. Nestled between mountains and a river, the farm was dotted with free-roaming chickens and ducks, while sheep grazed lazily in the distance.

"Let’s split into teams," Lucy suggested. "We’ll prepare lunch and dinner ourselves."

Wu Hongyi led the male trainees to hunt for chickens and gather eggs, while Lucy took the girls to pick fresh produce. Lily Green lingered nearby, her eyes flickering with calculation.

"Let’s go fishing!" she suddenly suggested, pointing to the pond behind them with a sweet smile. "I heard the fish here are especially plump."

Robert Lee hesitated, recalling Lucy’s warning from the day before. But under Lily’s persistent coaxing, he reluctantly followed.

[OMG, why is Robert going fishing?!]

[Didn’t Lucy tell him to stay away from water?]

[This is so superstitious—what could possibly happen?]

Lily cast her line with practiced ease and soon got a bite. "Robert, come look!" she called excitedly. "I’ve got a big one!"

Robert took the rod and gave it a firm tug. The water erupted as an enormous carp leaped out, sending a spray into the air.

"Watch out!" someone shouted.

But it was too late. The force yanked Robert forward, and he stumbled—then plunged headfirst into the pond. Amid the splashing, his figure quickly sank beneath the surface.

"Help!" Lily paled, frozen in place.

Daniel Miller was the first to dive in, followed by the crew. Two minutes later, they hauled Robert onto the bank, his lips already tinged blue.

Medics immediately began CPR. After tense moments, Robert coughed up water and slowly opened his eyes.

"Lucy…" he rasped weakly, his gaze unfocused.

The director’s expression darkened as he sent someone to fetch Lucy. The other guests exchanged uneasy glances—no one had expected yesterday’s prophecy to come true like this.

Lily stood at the edge of the crowd, wringing her hands. She’d only wanted to show off, never anticipating such a disaster.

"This is all my fault…" she whimpered, though no one paid attention to her act.

In the distance, Lucy walked back with a basket of fresh vegetables, the sunlight casting a long shadow behind her.